This invention relates generally to the support of instrument packages in a well; and more particularly, the support of well survey packages to eliminate or reduce vibration and buckling of such packages.
Well survey instruments run in wells are typically very narrow and quite long; for example, they are commonly less than two inches in overall diameter, and at least six feet long. It has been the practice to land such instruments in drill collars near the drill bit, employed in directional drilling a well. Drilling mud flowing downwardly past the long, slender instrument package, supported near its lowermost extent, exerts loading, tending to buckle the package; also, variations in such loading tend to induce flutter in the long, slender package. These conditions are detrimental to use and performance of the instrumentation.
There is, accordingly, need for improvements, which reduce or eliminate such problems.